“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
What Makes You Come Alive?
- What puts a twinkle in your eye?
- What gets your blood boiling?
- What makes your heart race?
- What's something you'd really like to sink your teeth into?
- What captures your mind's eye?
Coming Alive--Again
I had the most interesting dream last night. In the dream I allowed myself to be killed over and over again to show people I came alive again. It wasn't a morbid dream. It was more reflective of my experience of being deadened by life experiences only to come alive again and triumph.
Sometimes I Feel Like a Quivering Bowl of Jello
Sure, this economy can sometimes make you feel like a quivering bowl of jello--stuck in indecisiveness and failing to act because you don't know what the right step is that will work out for you.
But here's the thing--within you is a desire to serve the world using your unique skills and talents. But what are they and how do you access them when you feel deadened by your current circumstances?
What's My Calling?
I was catching up with a friend the other day who just returned from spending two months caring for her aging parents. As we were catching up on life she said, "I don't know what my purpose is right now. I don't know what I am supposed to be doing or what my calling is. I know it isn't care-giving."
When you're in the midst of dealing with major life issues--like caring for aging parents, being laid off, or graduating from college into a poor job market--it creates an emotional cloud around your thinking. Trying to make logical, rational or heart-felt decisions about your purpose or life calling can feel like you're asking the black 8-ball a question and getting 'reply hazy, try again'.
Have Faith in Your Inner Wisdom
When your senses are numbed have faith in your inner wisdom to shines a light on the path that makes you come alive--then act as if--and take a step. This is a variation on 'trust, but verify'. In this instance you trust your inner self to know your path--but you test the truth of that wisdom by taking action. You'll know soon enough if you want to continue down this path or choose another direction.
An enterprising young man was laid off and searching for a new career path that allowed him to contribute to society. He called to ask what I thought about him training to become an EMT. Although he loved the idea of being able to serve people, he wasn't sure he was cut out to deal with trauma.
I could tell this direction held excitement for him despite his fear. "Go ahead, step into the training and see how it feels", I said. "You'll know if its right for you as you experience each step. You are good in a crisis and the training would not be wasted. Who knows? Perhaps EMT training combined with your other experiences will lead you to create something completely new."
Life is an Experiment
All of life is an experiment. You start with a hypothesis--or idea of the truth about what makes you come alive--and you actively test your theory through taking practical steps to see if you indeed come alive by taking that path.
Don't let your life experience keep you down. Choose to triumph over the obstacles that get in the way of you coming alive. You always have another step to take.
"Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of
the improbable." H.L. Mencken
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For more than 25
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